68 THE MILK SITUATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 



COST OP APPLYING TEST. 



Regarding the criticism that the making of the tuberculin test 

 necessarily involves a considerable expense, which would work a 

 hardship upon the owner of cattle if the test be demanded, it should 

 be explained that the better part of two days is required in practice 

 for effectually applying the test, irrespective of whether the herd 

 comprises 5 or 50 head, requiring, if properly done, the actual 

 attendance of the veterinarian during this period of time. How- 

 ever, the expense of testing might, it is believed, be materially 

 reduced by providing the requisite number of officials (under Fed- 

 eral, State, or municipal direction) to make such tests, which plan, 

 it is conjectured, would reduce the cost to the owner to $1.50 per 

 head of cattle, regardless of the number of cattle in each particular 

 herd. In the absence of such an arrangement it is manifest that 

 the expense of having, for example, 2 or 3 cattle tested would be 

 markedly greater than where a herd contains 20 or more individuals, 

 since the time required to make the examination is approximately 

 the same where a considerable number of animals is concerned as 

 when a single individual is tested. 



The actual expense of applying the test, including the services of 

 a veterinarian, depends largely upon the size of the herd tested and 

 its convenience of access by the veterinarian. It is estimated by 

 the Chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry that the test can prob- 

 ably be made, if not done gratuitously by the Government, at an 

 average cost to the owner of $1 per cow. Borden's Condensed Milk 

 Co. intimates that it is practically impossible to make an intelligent 

 suggestion as to the approximate expense unless the conditions under 

 which the test is to be applied are given, but that, in general, if the 

 herd is not over 3 miles distant from the office of the veterinary, the 

 testing can be done for $15 on a basis of 25 cows in the herd, for 

 $20 on a basis of 50 to 75 cows in the herd, and for $25 for 100 cows 

 in the herd, including the cost of tuberculin, which is about 5 cents 

 per test. 



SHOULD GOVERNMENT OR HERD OWNER DEFRAY EXPENSE OF TEST. 



There has been considerable discussion throughout the country as 

 to whether, in the event of the insistence upon the tuberculin test, 

 the cost of the test should be defrayed by the National, State, or 

 Municipal Government, as the case may be, or by the herd owner. 

 The Chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry asseverates that the 

 Federal Government or the State should bear the expense of making 

 the test when officially required in the interest of the public health, 

 the Department of Agriculture being willing to test without charge 

 herds supplying milk to the District of Columbia, and to extend 

 cooperation so far as possible to State and municipal authorities 

 elsewhere throughout the country. This view is coincided in by the 

 Surgeon General of the Army and the Surgeon General of the Navy. 

 while varying positions are taken in the matter by other authorities 

 consulted by the committee, some contended that the States should 

 undertake the expense for a fixed period ; others that, if compulsory, 

 the Government should bear the expense, while, if voluntary, this 

 should be assumed by the owner; while still others suggest that the 



